Awning hinge



Sept. 4, 1951 Y F. v. MccoY AWNING HINGE Filed Apr-i1 ze, 195o 4 Trae/V575.

atented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED .S PATENT F FICE AWNING Frank `Vernon McCoy, Springeld, h-io., .assigner Vto The YSpringfield Tent & ,Awning Company,

'SprngelL Ohio, a corporation ,off `Ohio Applieation `.ikpril :26, 1950,V Selial lN'o. 158,253

(Cl. ,160Q-81.)

7 Claims. 1 V'Ihis invention relates 'to awnings. More iparticularly, it `relatesto Aa hinge which `permits the folding ofarms .of Lthe extending awning support. Still more particularly, it relates to a simplified form of fixture positionable in the straight portion of the awning supports, permitting Afolding of the support arms inback of one another when not in use.

Several 'types of awnings are Ain 'common use which consist of fabric or web 'having the upper end 'adapted for 'securing to the `builciing Astructure over a 'window lor the jlike and having the lower portion provided'with appropriate supports to hold the lower -portion in extended position.

The supports Aare Lgenerally rrig-id -U-shaped members with 'the parallel-arms adapted at their ends with suitable Jfasten-ing means.

When awnings are removed -from :the building, storage of the awning isia `problem because of the cumbersome Vnature fof the U-.shaped supports.

To .overcome these :diiioulties said .supports have .been 'formed with .threaded ielbows ioonneoting .the Vbight .or irontarm with ethe side arms. While this makes disassembly rpossible, .it ,has

some drawbacks .as frustingat lthe threaded por- 1.

tions `and necessity `for pipe 4`fitting equipment to disassemble the unit.

Another type :of collapsible :unit :has :been fin use which forms ithebend of the .U -shapedimember as la hinge. .This vipermits folding the .arms in back of .the ibight, .but .the structures "have lacked rigidity because they .require ,ears on .the ends lof ,arms connected by pivots Vto opposite ends of link members.

With the foregoing conditions `in mind, the present `invention has as an object .theprovison of a highly simplified structure for ithe support member, .overcoming the limitations .l and disadvantages of the Aprior devices.

.It is an object `of the-.present invention `to 1rovide an awning which has a foldable support member. p

It .is .another l.object of the Apresent `invention to .provide ian `awning -whichneed not be disassembled .for storage.

.It is ,still another :object of A.this ,invention lto provide an awningV which needonly havethe arms folded and the folded portion wrapped .around with theattached .awning to producea .relatively small roll `readyfor storage.

4It .is .a -still `further object ,of `the `:present iin- .vention .to fprovide an awning ,whose support `member .is rigid when .the `arms .are .opened :to rextended position for iattachment .to a .building `It is .anotherxobject L,of .this invention to provide a :hinge member for :support bars which are adaptable to fielding ,ar-ms for .any ,shape .of support member and still maintain rigidity.

,It is still another object of `this invention to provideaihinge :supportgmember which can readily be withdrawn from the `tubular or loop struc ture Ythrough .which the awning is fixed .to :the support when the awning -is to be `removed 4for cleaning for repair.

,n fnrtheriobjeotbf ithis :invention .is :to provide a hinge member for awning ,support wherein the enclosing .-shell limits Lthe freturn movement of the .ar-ms creating arigidity :in extended position.

Various `other and more detailed objects and advantages willbeoome apparent as the idescription of this ,invention proceeds.

More yin detail, the `invention c orriprises an awning support member of desired shape 4.adaizited .at the ends `to be secured to a building structure and-.Which .is formed from a plurality of separate 4members Joined by :means of rigid .connector fixtures, each connector being adapted to receive a first member ,in .an renclosed .position and `a second vmember .in -a position permitting the secondimember .to be .moved through a suitable angle for bringing the .swinging arm in approximately :back to back arrangement with the first member.

When .utilizing a .iu-shaped support frame the rigid .connector will .be .a straight .member `gpositoned Aadjacent `.the .bend .in the `frame .and one arm `attached thereto will .fbe .free andfmovable through .-.an angle of `approXimately 90 degrees. When the connectoris notie. straight member,` it will at once .-be `api-latent that the swing ,angle maybe more or less `than90 degrees.

The invention -will .be more fully lunderstood from the following .descriptonin which `-for purposes. ofclearlygdescribing .this invention, the -description .will relate ,to Aa Ll-shapedsupport memberand .accompanying drawings wherein:

:Figure 1 is a perspective viiew `of Aan vawning in :placeon .a .window drame, .the lowerportion of the v:awning `being v partially .broken :away to show the iconstruotionmore ,clearly Figure .iv-2 is `a..p1an;.vi ew of a --supporamember in folded position;

Figure A.3 is a `plan .view -of another support member having ,the fixtures .indifferent ipositions from those shown ,in Figurez;

Figure 4 is a side elevational .View of ,theponnector or xture as seen in Fig. 1;

.Figure 5 yis aninsideuelevational `view of the fixture of Figs..l .and.6; and

Figure 6 Kis an .f end .View of the fixture.

Figure 7 is a view showing the frame in folded position.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral l indicates the window frame of a building. An awning designated I I is shown attached by suitable means, such as screws or turnbuckles, and the like, at its upper end to the top cross member I2 of the window frame or sash I0.

The lower portion of awning II is supported in extended position by the U-shaped frame I3, the inner ends of which are anchored to the vertical members I4 of Window frame I0 by suitable brackets I5.

The U-shaped frame I3 as illustrated is made up of three members, side arms I6 and I1 and the front arm I8. Arm I8, as illustrated in Figure 2, is shown as provided with right angle bends at both ends of the front arm.

Reference to Figure 3 shows the side arms adapted with right angle bends and connected by a straight front arm, illustrating that there are many modifications Vwhich are entirely feasible.

Connecting front arm I8 with the side arm I6 is a rigid connector unit or fixture 20. Connector may be a cast unit, preferably of nonrusting metal, or may be formed about a mandrel of suitably shaped sheet metal.

Fixture 20 is formed having an end portion 2I of a substantially closed tubular construction of any desired configuration, to match the configuration of any of the arms of the framework. Inasmuch as front arm I8 is illustrated as round, the illustration shows the substantially tubular wall as having a round configuration. The tubular portion, however, can be circular, rectangular or square, or other suitable cross sectional configuration.

The opposite end portion 22 of the fixture is formed U-shaped having straight sides 23 and 24 spaced apart a distance equal to the diameter of portion 2I.

Connecting the straight sides is an integral back wall 25 of suitable configuration to permit unobstructed swing for the end of the connected arm member. The side opposite the back Wall 25 is open for substantially the entire length of section 22.

Sections 2I and 22 are apertured at 26, 21, 28 and 29 to receive suitable securing means 30 for the members I6 andV I8, such as rivets or bolts.

The preferred method of fabricating the fixture is to stamp a blank of desired conguration from a flat piece of sheet metal. The flat metal is then positioned in apress which transforms the flat blank into a U-shaped member and at the vsaine time stresses the back wall portion 25 into a slightly arcuate configuration.

The parallel sides of the upper portion are then pressed by a separate die into tubular form. The apertures may be formed either as a part of the blank stamping operation or may be drilled later utilizing a jig to obtain accurate alignment.

While a preferred specic lembodiment of the invention is hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and, accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of forming a fixture for joining arms of an awning support rigid in extended in use which comprises: punching' from a iiat sheet of metal a blank having one portion thereof of slightly greater width than another portion and simultaneously punching a pair of spaced apertures in each portion, forming the unit to U shape by punching with a die thereby bringing the apertures of each pair into axial alignment, forcing the edges of the portion of greatest Width into close proximity to one another while supporting the unit internally with a member of predetermined external configuration, and positioning securing means in each of the pairs of apertures. 1

2. The method of forming a fixture for joining arms of an awning support rigid in extended position and foldable on one another when not in use which comprises: punching from a flat sheet of metal a blank having one poi-tion thereof of slightly greater width than another portion and simultaneously punching a pair of spaced apertures in each portion, forming the unit to U shape by punching with a die thereby 'bringing the apertures of each pair into axial alignment, forcing the edges of the portion of greatest width into close proximity to one another whiie supporting the unit internally to produce a unit of substantially tubular cross sectional coniiguration, and positioning securing means in each of the pairs of apertures.

3. i'iie method of forming a fixture for joining arms o1 an awning support rigid in extended position and foldabie on one another when not in use which comprises: punching from a flat sheet of metal a blank having one portion thereof` of slightly greater width than another portion, forming the unit to U shape by punching with a die, forcing the edges of the portion of greater width together while supporting the unit internally with a member of predetermined external coniiguration, driiling pairs of axially aligned apertures in both the tubular and U-shaped portions, and positioning securing means in each of the pairs of apertures,

4. In a fixture for securing together the adjacent end portions of a front arm and side arm of a U-shaped awning frame, the structure comprising a rigid shell having a iirst tubular portion having a longitudinal slot therein and a second U-shaped portion having the open end thereof adjacent said slot, each said portion having arm securing means therein extending between opposing side walls, one said securing means enclosed by said shell being adapted to receive a said end of one said arm and the other said securing means being adapted to receive a said end of the other said arm in pivotal engagement whereby said other arm may be rotated toward said arm on said enclosed securing means to be positioned in backto back relationship therewith.

5. In a fixture for securing together the adjacent end portions of a front arm and side arm of a U-shaped awning frame, the structure comprising a rigid shell having a iirst tubular portion having a longitudinal slot therein and a second U-shaped portion having the open end thereof adjacent said slot, said'shell having spaced parallel bolts, one in each said portion and each extending between opposing side Walls, one said bolt enclosed by said shell being adapted to receive a said end of one said arm and the other said bolt being adapted to receive a said end of the other said arm in pivotal engagement Whereposition and foldable on one another when not 15 by said other arm may be rotated vtoward said arm on said enclosed bolt to be positioned in back to back relationship therewith.

6. In a U-shaped awning frame comprising a front arm having curved ends and opposing side arms extending rearwardly of said front arm from said curved ends, a fixture connecting an end of a said side arm with a said curved end of said front arm, said xture comprising a rigid shell having a first tubular portion having a longitudinal slot therein and a second U-shaped portion having the open end thereof adjacent said slot, said shell having spaced parallel bolts, one in each said portion and each extending between opposing side walls, one said bolt enclosed by said shell being adapted to receive a said curved end of said front arm in rigid engagement and the other said bolt being adapted to receive a said end of said side arm in pivotal engagement whereby said side arm may be rotated toward said front arm on said enclosed bolt to be positioned in back to back relationship therewith.

'7. In a U-shaped awning frame comprising a front arm and opposing side arms having curved forward ends, said arms extending rearwardly of said front arm from opposite ends thereof, a

0f said side arm in pivotal engagement whereby said side arm may be rotated toward said front arm on said enclosed bolt to be positioned in back to back relationship therewith.

FRANK VERNON MCCOY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,928,366 Buckingham Sept. 26, 1933 1,932,945 Wilson Oct. 31, 1933 

